I'd take exception being addressed as "comrade"!
You just don't really know what does "comrade" means. If throw out the communist implication, the "comrade" ("Товарищ" ("Tovarishch") in Russian) means "nearest friend", "the most reliable friend" etc., so, I just try to express respect to TristanAlting as he is a reliable friend. Okay, if you dislike it - I will stop using this word here.